Changes described as “most significant modernisation of policing in nearly 200 years”…

The UK Government has unveiled sweeping policing reforms this week, including major investments in artificial intelligence and expanded use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR).

The Home Office has pledged to fund 40 new LFR vans as part of a national program to expand facial recognition capabilities in town centres across England and Wales, according to a white paper published on Monday.

The UK also plans to invest £115 Million over the next three years into a National Centre for AI in Policing, known as Police.AI. The institution will focus on testing and deploying AI technology that can catch criminals, speed up investigations and reduce administrative burdens.

The changes are part of the “most significant modernisation of policing in nearly 200 years,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in an announcement.

“The need for significant police reform has been there for more than a decade and is now urgent, in a world where 90%of crime has a digital element,” says Mahmood.

The 106-page reform blueprint promises that deployment of AI technologies will be supported by a new regulatory framework, including one for police use of facial recognition. Plans also include establishing a public register documenting AI systems currently deployed by police forces.

Alongside greater use of technology, the Government will establish a National Police Service (NPS) to tackle counter-terror, serious and organised crime and fraud.

The Home Office also plans to merge the country’s 43 separate police headquarters into a smaller number.